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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is Mrs. Laura Fielding?

2. Why does Aubrey request camels immediately?

3. What is Effendi willing to do?

4. What do most of the British officers then begin to assume?

5. What secret occupation does Graham have in common with Maturin?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do Aubrey and Maturin encounter each other and why is Maturin there?

2. What is Maturin's latest purchase and for what does he want to use it?

3. What does Aubrey do with his prize money?

4. Why is the Dromedary early and what is the effect of that?

5. What does Aubrey learn about the Worcester and Surprise when he meets with the Admiral?

6. Who is Mrs. Fielding and how does she and Ponto become friends with Aubrey?

7. What does Aubrey order his crew to do and where does Aubrey go while they are obeying his order?

8. Describe the situation at the opening of Treason's Harbour.

9. Discuss the goings on of the man Andrew Wray.

10. Why is Aubrey disappointed, but what cheers him up?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Treason's Harbour, like many, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why? not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of Treason's Harbour and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Treason's Harbour is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, and stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Define irony in literary terms. Discuss the irony of the situation of everyone assuming Aubrey is having an affair with Mrs. Fielding while Aubrey assumes Maturin is having an affair with her and neither set of assumptions are correct.

2. Define symbolism in literary terms. Discuss the use of and meaning of five symbols you choose to analyze from Treason's Harbour. What do they symbolize? Is the symbolism obvious? Effective? Does the symbolism contribute to the enjoyment of reading?

3. Discuss five literary devices that occur in Treason's Harbour and how they are used. Are they effective? Do they add or detract from the reading of the book? Why or why not. Some possible techniques: Allusion, connotation, denouement, dialogue, flashback, figurative language, motif, metaphor, narrator, point of view, simile, mood, and puns.

Essay Topic 3

Patrick O'Brian has tried as much as possible to use historical events and facts around which to weave his work of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think Treason's Harbour qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in the book are historical, what surprises you about the way the events play out?

3. Do you think the culture of the early 1800s is more or less advanced than you imagined? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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